The mineral scheelite (calcium tungstate, CaWO.sub.4) is normally found in quartz veins and in contact with scarn ores of complex mineralogical composition. These scarn minerals include garnets, pyroxene, and amphibole, and other minerals such as calcite, apatite and quartz. Scheelite ores can be classified into five different categories 1) simple scheelite ore, 2) scheelite-sulfides ore, 3) scheelite-cassiterite ore, 4) scheelite-calcite-apatite ore and 5) scheelite-powellite ore. Normally, the concentration of WO.sub.3 in a scheelite ore concentrate is expected to be more than 60 weight percent (wt. %) However, low grade ores with WO.sub.3 content as low as 13.9 wt. % are reported. These low grade ores are associated with calcium containing phases other than scheelite such as calcite and calcium hydroxyapatite. Such ores cannot be processed by typical hydrometallurgical methods and require pretreatment to remove the phosphorus contained in the apatite phase. The ores may also contain toxic elements such as lead, arsenic and uranium. Although methods of phosphorus removal are known, it would be an advantage to have a simplified process for phosphorus removal in order to improve the economics associated with processing low grade scheelite ores.